Emergency Preparedness Online,
Fifth Edition

A resource directory for emergency preparedness, response, recovery, and accessible communications

The Media Security and Reliability Council (MSRC)

A. General Information

The Media Security and Reliability Council (MSRC) is a federal advisory committee, created by the Federal Communications Commission in 2002, to study, develop and report on best practices designed to assure the optimal reliability, robustness and security of the broadcast and multi-channel video programming distribution industries. Rechartered in 2004, the Council is currently chaired by David J. Barrett, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hearst-Argyle Television, Inc. MSRC is comprised of leaders of mass media companies, cable television and satellite service providers, trade associations, public safety representatives, manufacturers and other related entities. The MSRC's recommendation to the FCC:

"...that a national, uniform, all-hazard risk communication warning process is implemented from a public and private consensus on what best meets the needs of the public, including people of diverse language and/or with disabilities, including sensory disabilities."

B. The Mission of the Media Security and Reliability Council:

1. Purpose

   To prepare a comprehensive national strategy for securing and sustaining Broadcast and MVPD facilities throughout the United States during terrorist attacks, natural disasters and all other threats or attacks nationwide.

2. Responsibilities

   The Council will be responsible for developing strategies that ensure the operation of broadcast and MVPD facilities before, during and after a major event. This report will include recommendations for detecting, preparing for, preventing, protecting against, responding to and recovering from terrorist threats, natural disasters or other attacks upon America's infrastructure and its people.

3. Recommendations

   These recommendations will be provided to the FCC and the Media Industry that, when implemented, will assure optimal reliability, robustness and security of broadcast and MVPD facilities throughout the United States.

C. Primary Working Groups within the MSRC

There are two Primary Working Groups within the MSRC. They are the Toolkit Working Group, which meets approximately five times per year, and the Local Coordination Working Group, which meets approximately three times per year. Their missions are as follows:

1. Toolkit Committee Mission
   1. To develop "model" documents, and other resources for local entities' use
   2. Documents and resources to be developed are based upon Best Practices Recommendations adopted by MSRC 1, including but not limited to:
      1. Disaster recovery plans
      2. Vulnerability assessment checklists
      3. Backup carriage plans
      4. Cooperative emergency response plans
   3. Where applicable, materials should take into account whole markets as well as individual entities in each media sector
2. Local Coordination Committee Mission
   1. To develop a step-by-step executable plan to strengthen local coordination among media, government and first responder communities
   2. Focus should include the establishment of:
      1. Emergency communications committees
      2. Restoration committees
      3. Other appropriate vehicles for local coordination
   3. Deliverables should include sample agendas for coordination meetings

D. MSRC Members

E. MSRC Accessibility Resources

This heading contains additional information regarding the MSRC and accessibility. It may also contain content that can be found elsewhere on this site. These accessibility resources have been gathered together, in this separate section, to provide easy availability to those for whom accessibility is a foremost concern.

1. Guide to Establishing Local Coordination of Emergency Communications Systems June, 2005
   http://www.mediasecurity.org/documents/MSRC_Guide.pdf

A downloadable guide by the Media and Security Reliability Council, with a section containing resources for people with special needs.